Luciano Gaetanello Cont

Luciano Gaetanello Cont, 88, of Spartanburg died on Sunday, April 7, 2024. He was born on June 27, 1935 in Schonenberg, TG Switzerland to the late Gioachino and Emma Cont-Botta. Luciano was pre-deceased by his sister Ellide Roth of Flims, GR Switzerland.

After completing his formal education and apprenticeship, Luciano served in the Swiss Armed Forces earning the rank of Corporal.  He then began his career as a draftsman of textile machines with Sulzer Brothers in Winterthur, Switzerland.   As his career with Sulzer Brothers evolved, he became a salesman of textile machinery which ultimately led to him being transferred to the company’s sales and service offices in Spartanburg, S.C.  Luciano worked his way up and became the President of Sulzer Brothers Inc. Textile Machinery Division in Spartanburg.  Throughout the course of his career, Luciano was an integral part of the vibrant textile community in the upstate of South Carolina.  His employment with Sulzer Brothers was a bond which lasted more than 44 years. His frequent travels sent him all over the world. He retired from Sulzer Brothers in 1994, was recruited by Benninger Corporation (a Swiss Textile Machinery company) to run their Spartanburg branch and retired from there in 1996.

Luciano married his grade school sweetheart, Kathy Cont Fehr, and they were married over 63 years. In April 1994, Luciano and Kathy proudly obtained their US Citizenship in Charleston, SC.

He was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church and a founding member of the Swiss American Society of the Piedmont and past member of the North Spartanburg Rotary Club. After his retirement, Luciano served as a volunteer for many years at the Spartanburg Regional Hospital Library and the Adult Learning Center. In addition to the love he had for his family, Luciano was an avid golfer.  He was a former member of the Carolina Country Club where he often played with friends and his loving wife Kathy.  Throughout his life, Luciano had a love and passion for music and often played his saxophone and clarinet at parties and functions.

Luciano is survived by his wife, Kathy; their two children, Cornelia Cont Springer of Lorton, VA and Patrick L. Cont (Wendy) of Spartanburg, SC; and four grandchildren, Emma Lillian Cont of New York, Elliott Luciano Cont of Spartanburg, Josephine “Josie” Sierra Springer of Lorton, VA and Isabelle Kailen Springer of Lorton, VA.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 13 at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 11:30am. The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the Carolina Country Club, 2355 Carolina Country Club Road, Spartanburg, SC 29306.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Luciano’s honor to the Cancer Association of Spartanburg & Cherokee Counties Inc. www.cancerassociation.org or to a charity of your choosing.